WorldNetDaily isn’t the only ConWeb outlet that spread conspiracy theories about an attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar. Newsmax’s Eric Mack quoted President Trump raging about Omar in a Jan. 28 article:
President Donald Trump, reacting sight unseen to breaking news that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., had been sprayed with what the media described as a “liquid” that appeared urine-colored, claimed the incident was staged.
That very narrative has been viral by conservatives on social media Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, but Trump was asked about the incident shortly after the news broke and before he had seen it.
“No. I don’t think about her; I think she’s a fraud; I really don’t think about that: She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” Trump told an ABC News reporter.
Trump admitted he has not seen the C-SPAN feed of the town hall incident that media, Capitol Police, and Democrat backers are calling an “attack.”
[…]Trump has frequently criticized the congresswoman and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis. During a Cabinet meeting in December, he referred to her as “garbage.”
At least Mack admitted how much Trump despises Omar that he would latch onto a conspiracy theory about her. Jim Thomas, meanwhile, dutifully quoted a Trump official similarly offering baseless speculation about Omar:
Kari Lake, the acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, cast doubt on the liquid-spraying attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Newsmax on Wednesday.
She called the episode “suspicious” while also saying no elected official should be attacked.
Asked about the incident in which Omar was sprayed with a liquid at a Minneapolis town hall, Lake said, “I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, OK?”
She added, “I don’t believe anybody should ever be attacked. Something smelled funny about that whole thing … it seems suspicious.”
Lake said on “Rob Schmitt Tonight” that she heard others describe it as “a Jussie Smollett moment,” and added, “I have to admit, it seems suspicious.”
This being a Newsmax interview, Thomas made no attempt to counter Lake’s claim.
Newsmax also published a couple of articles that didn’t manufacture conspiracy theories yet tried to blame Democrats for the attack. Another Jan. 28 article stated:
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., on Newsmax Wednesday condemned an attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., while also blaming Omar and other Democrats for rhetoric he said has contributed to escalating tensions as protests and federal agents clash in Minneapolis over immigration enforcement.
“I want Ilhan Omar to be deported and denaturalized,” Fine said on “Wake Up America” on Wednesday. “But I don’t want her to be attacked or hurt.”
A man sprayed Omar with an unidentified liquid during a town hall Tuesday in Minneapolis as she was calling for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to either “resign or face impeachment.”
The man was arrested, and Omar said she was not injured.
Fine said political violence is unacceptable, but he accused Democrats of labeling violent conduct as peaceful protest.
Pretty much the only person who didn’t devolve into conspiracy theories was the Republican House leader, who also blamed Democrats anyway in an article by Nicole Weatherholtz:
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Newsmax on Wednesday that he’s “very glad” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was not seriously harmed after a protester sprayed a liquid on her during a public event, calling for the suspect to be prosecuted “to the full extent of the law.”
Appearing on “Wake Up America,” Johnson opened by emphasizing relief that Omar appeared unhurt, saying, “Doesn’t look like she was injured by that.”
Johnson said the incident should be treated as a serious crime, arguing there should be no political carve-outs when public officials are targeted.
[…]Johnson added he expected Democrat authorities to take the attack on Omar seriously, saying, “Now, I’m sure in Minneapolis, that individual will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
But Johnson argued the broader reaction would look different if the target were a Republican lawmaker, suggesting Democrats and allied local leaders would be less inclined to prosecute.
“Had that been a Republican member of Congress — had that been an illegal immigrant spraying something at a Republican member of Congress — in Minneapolis, [what] would probably happen is they would release that illegal immigrant and then frustrate ICE’s attempt to apprehend and deport that individual,” Johnson said.
Johnson then “blamed what he called “the Democrats’ open border policy” for the current unrest in Minnesota.”